ZAKARIA: Iran and the West are locked in a dangerous game of brinkmanship, a war of words and sanctions that could turn into something bigger. So what happens next?
I have a panel of experts here with me. Iranian-born Vali Nasr, professor of International Politics at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He recently served in the Obama State Department. Bret Stephens is the Foreign Affairs Columnist of the "Wall Street Journal," formerly the editor of "The Jerusalem Post." Hillary Mann Leverett worked in George W. Bush's National Security Council as the Director for Iran and Afghanistan. She's now CEO of the Strategic Energy and Global Analysis. Hooman Majd is one of Iran's finest authors and commentators. He is the author of "The Ayatollah's Democracy." Born in Tehran, he now lives in New York.
… ZAKARIA: And, Vali, when you look at this sort of leadership issue of, first, they say they're going to block the Straits of Hormuz, then they back down. They, you know, there seems to be disarray. How would you - how do you read what the Iranian leadership is trying to do at this point?
VALI NASR, Ph.D, U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT FOREIGN AFFAIRS POLICY ADVISORY BOARD: Well, there always is a difference of opinion among the leaders about how to handle the negotiations, the sanctions in the United States. But I think overall a decision in Iran has been made to meet threat with threat, violation of sovereignty with violation of sovereignty and show an aggressive face to the West in order to back the West off.
Now, there are people who may go too far and then they are sort of yanked back. But it's very clear that Iran has made a - made a very clear decision that the way to deal with the United States on these sanctions issues is preemptive, and is to try to raise the cost to the West and to send warnings in the hope that the administration will back off.
ZAKARIA: But what did - what are Iran's cards here? You know, I mean, the West has all these cards of economic sanctions and potentially more military issue strikes. What can - what are Iran's credible threats?
NASR: Well, first of all, I think Iran would like to educate the West in the fact that the imposition of sanctions is not going to be cost-free. So that Iran can or can threaten to close the Straits of Hormuz, can threaten Arab allies around, can threaten regional stability.
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